January 19, 2016

Winter is Coming to Tennessee

Winter weather is expected across Tennessee tonight and Wednesday, with a second winter weather wave possibly ushering in the weekend. Below is a region-by-region weather forecast and information on being prepared for cold weather and possible winter precipitation.

West Tennessee
A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for much of northeast Arkansas, the Missouri Bootheel and northwest Tennessee beginning at 9 p.m., CST, this evening and lasting through midday Wednesday. Cold ground temperatures will allow wintry precipitation to accumulate rather quickly beginning late Tuesday night. There is the potential for freezing rain possibly mixed with ice pellets through early Wednesday morning. A second system late Thursday night through Friday may produce wintry weather for the Midsouth.

Middle Tennessee
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for all of Middle Tennessee from 3 a.m., CST to 6 p.m., CST, on Wednesday. A wintry mix is likely on Wednesday morning across Middle Tennessee – generally between 3 a.m., CST, and 12 p.m., CST on Wednesday. Areas north of I-40 and east of I-24 could see around 1″ of snow, while areas along and south of I-40 and west of I-24 could see freezing rain and sleet with a light glazing of ice and a dusting of snow. Ice accumulations of up to one-tenth-of-an-inch will be possible for the entire area. Temperatures will be well below freezing on Wednesday morning, so any ice or snow would quickly accumulate on bridges and roads creating hazardous driving conditions. A Winter Weather Advisory will likely be needed for at least parts of Middle Tennessee on Wednesday morning. Another winter storm could bring more snow accumulations to Middle Tennessee on Friday.

East Tennessee
A Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect Wednesday across the region. In the southern Tennessee Valley snow will switch over to a wintry mix during the day Wednesday. A wind chill advisory also is in effect for the higher elevations of the Southern Appalachians and Southwest Virginia.

Be prepared for this coming period of cold weather, the potential for snow and freezing rain, and hazardous driving conditions.

AT HOME

Be sure you have adequate clothing and blankets to keep you warm.

Have sufficient heating fuel for your home.

Store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove.

If pipes freeze, remove any insulation or layers of newspapers and wrap pipes in rags. Completely open all faucets and pour hot water over the pipes, starting where they were most exposed to the cold (or where the cold was most likely to penetrate).

Maintain ventilation when using kerosene heaters to avoid build-up of toxic fumes. Refuel kerosene heaters outside and keep them at least three feet from flammable objects.

If you go outside, watch for signs of frostbite (loss of feeling and white or pale appearance in extremities) and hypothermia (uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and apparent exhaustion).